Trinity College OM headstock decoration.

**Jim Yates** · May-28-2012, 10:34am

Could anyone tell me what year TC abandoned the fleur de lis headstock on their OMs for the Celtic design and when they changed the first Celtic design to the Celtic cross?
Were these designs the only changes made in these OMs, or were there other differences?

**Mo Soar** · May-28-2012, 12:18pm

It was somewhere about the middle of last year that you could no longer get a new model with anything but the Celtic cross, so likely the change was late 2010/early 2011 and just took a bit to filter through the retail channels.

I think it's somewhat gaudy, myself, and would prefer the older style knot.

**JEStanek** · May-29-2012, 8:06am

I got my TC OM in 2004 with the Cross instead of the knot. I always thought the design switch would seem to limit the instrument's appeal as not everyone holds that iconography near and dear. I haven't seen a new one with the knot logo since then (but that doesn't mean you couldn't). As far as I could tell from comparing photos and specs in 2004, the only signifigant difference was the inlay.

Jamie

**rob_pt** · May-29-2012, 9:28am

My understanding was that the headstock inlay correlates with where the instrument was made. For instance I had a 2002 TC bouzouki that was made in Korea and it had a Celtic knot as did other TC instruments produced in Korea at that time. However, I noticed that later TC instruments had a Celtic cross and they were made in China. Reportedly instruments with a Fleur-de-lis were made earlier in Japan or possibly Korea. See the following discussions. How accurate all this is, I do not know.

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/ar...p/t-75127.html

http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/26086

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f.../t-185787.html

**xntric** · May-29-2012, 10:35am

I had an older TC with the fleur de lis inlay; I sent photos and the serial number to David Gartland at Saga (a VERY pleasant and helpful gent!) who replied that it was built in 1997 in Korea.

**Fretbear** · May-29-2012, 10:54am

I have a TC bouzouki with a fleur de lis headstock and a sticker inside that reads 9429.
It was manufactured no later than '94 when I traded for it new (for an '84 Kentucky KM-1000, D'oh!!)
and possibly a year or so earlier than that.

**xntric** · May-29-2012, 11:01am

Ooops, forgot to mention that my SN was 9786 . . . so, based on David's response to my inquiry and Fretbear's post above, we might reasonably deduce that the first two digits correspond to the year?

**Phil1580** · May-29-2012, 6:49pm

Originally Posted by JEStanek

I got my TC OM in 2004 with the Cross instead of the knot. I always thought the design switch would seem to limit the instrument's appeal as not everyone holds that iconography near and dear. I haven't seen a new one with the knot logo since then (but that doesn't mean you couldn't). As far as I could tell from comparing photos and specs in 2004, the only signifigant difference was the inlay.

Jamie

Without getting into an ideological debate, this (plus funds) is what held me up on buying a TC. I did not want a cross on my instrument, and was even wondering how I could change this on a new instrument. I wound up getting a TC on eBay that should arrive tomorrow....hard to see the inlay exactly, but I would guess it is the knot. I can post a pic + the serial number to add my 2 cents to the "inlay = place of manufacture" research.

**Jim Yates** · May-30-2012, 10:49pm

This is my TC OM. I have put a pickguard on it when the front started to get scratched and replaced the tailpiece when the hooks gave out.

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serial# 9201
Does that mean it's from 1992?

If all serial numbers are only 4 digits and the first two are the year, then they could only make 100 instruments per year without running out of numbers.

**xntric** · May-31-2012, 11:55am

Originally Posted by Jim Yates

If all serial numbers are only 4 digits and the first two are the year, then they could only make 100 instruments per year without running out of numbers.

Hmmm, very good point . . . when I contacted David at Saga, he asked for both photos and serial number; apparently each of those pieces of evidence was necessary to determine the date. Drop him an email, he's a great guy: info@sagamusic.com

**Phil1580** · Jun-01-2012, 5:01pm

My TC OM just arrived! Here's the headstock and the whole instrument, guessing this is the Celtic knot.

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I looked absolutely everywhere and could not find a serial number, where do I find it? There is no label inside the body like most instruments....I am I believe the 3rd owner at least so maybe it's been lost or removed. Side note, I LOVE this thing.....first time touching an OM, and it has an absolutely wonderful throaty rich tone. Couldn't be happier with it after first play.

**rob_pt** · Jun-01-2012, 6:04pm

I looked absolutely everywhere and could not find a serial number, where do I find it? There is no label inside the body like most instruments....I am I believe the 3rd owner at least so maybe it's been lost or removed.

The TC bouzouki I mentioned in my earlier post that I once owned didn't have a serial number on it either which I thought odd at the time. No label, no stamp. I was the first owner, so it is unlikely a label was lost. Bought it new from Elderly. Maybe the instruments with a Celtic knot didn't have one???

**Jim Yates** · Jun-01-2012, 6:38pm

My fleur-de-lis model has a small, white, eighth inch by 3 quarters, label on the back, towards the treble side of the sound hole. It looks as though it could be easily taken off. That is the only label on it. I must admit, I like the Celtic designs, both the knot and the cross better than the fleur-de-lis. Because of the type of music I play on it, it would seem more appropriate. Although I don't consider myself a deeply religious person, I don't find the cross offensive.

**JEStanek** · Jun-01-2012, 9:14pm

0306060xxx is my serial number for the one I got in Early 2004. Mine was stamped on the neck block at 12 o'clock through the soundhole. Mine has the cross on it. I take my faith pretty seriously and just don't prefer that design to the knot work. Especially since they kind of market these for Celtic music/ ITM etc. That said, I think it's a brilliant instrument to add to the herd if its not your primary instrument. It has a pleasing voice and seems well constructed.

Jamie

**mandowilli** · Jun-02-2012, 9:31am

Mine is an early 2000's with the knot and no serial number anywhere. I changed out the tuning machines with some Gotoh's (two sets of uke tuners), a price tailpiece, and a custom made bridge of ebony and bone to replace the plastic one it came with. It sounds great and is easy to play.
After the success that I had with the OM I bought one of the TC mandolas which had the cross that I covered when playing. Too many questions.

**Ravenwood** · Jun-15-2012, 11:10am

I bought my TC OM in 2009 from Elderly's. At the time they had two in stock, one with the cross and one with the knot. As I recall both had a small sticker on the back of the headstock indicating they were made in China.

Do I recall correctly that there is a performer who covers the cross on their TC with tape?